Review: Life in the Soil by James Nardi

THE bright yellow jelly that appeared under the tree in our front garden was a slime mould's plasmodium, I now know, thanks to Life in the Soil. Biologist Nardi not only catalogues organisms - from algae to wombats - that live in soil, but also explains their roles in the web of life. Aimed at gardeners as well as naturalists, with a final section on DIY composting, this book uncovers the densely populated world that exists, literally, right under our feet, bringing to light countless flies and beetles, and such underground stars as termites and earthworms.

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